Sorting-cabinet.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

N. F. GARBO. SORTING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED we. 25. 1897 2 SHEETS-8HEET 1.

lfiivenio 1- Qasrbo 2 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

GARBG.

FILED AUG. 2 189R N. F. SORTING- GABINETA;

APPLICATION rTnn STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

TENT FFQE.

SOHTlNG-CABIN ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,494, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed August 25, 1897. Serial No. 649,434:-

To all whom it may, concern.-

Be it known that I, NILs F. GARBO, of the city of lVIinneapolis, countyof H ennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sorting-Oabinets, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to labor-saving devices in the class of temporaryfiling-cases intended for use, particularly in large commercial houses,where there are great numbers of sales checks and other memoranda whichmust be assorted and arranged in packs according to number or namebefore they pass into the hands of the bookkeeper-s or auditors.

The object of my invention is to provide a filing and sorting cabinethaving a number of compartments representing different clerks ordepartments and for cl'lecks therefrom and, further, a cabinet havingmeans to hold packs of checks or slips until the bookkeepers are readyfor them and which will also have means to hold checks or slips whichhaving been posted are ready to be filed away.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a compact and lightcabinet which may be easily carried from place to place, which may beplaced on any desk, and from which the checks may be removed or replacedwithout confusion, and I further desire to provide a device of such lowcost that even smaller stores and business houses can use them andeffect a saving in labor.

The further object of the invention is to provide a device which invarious sizes is adapted for the various uses of a file-case, thoughprimarily intended as a temporary file only.

My invention consists, generally, in the combination of a trough or boxdivided by partitions, with a clip or clasp provided in each compartmentand, further, in the combination of the foregoing and movable partsadapted to retain the separate distinct checks or packs of checks; and,further, the invention consists in construction and combination ofparts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof reduced in size. Fig. 3 is avertical section of the cabinet on the line X X of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section showingtwo sections of the cabinet joined together, and Fig. 6 is a detailsectional view illustrating the modified form of indicator.

As shown in the drawings, the cabinet comprises a box or troughpreferably made up of the bottom 2, the back 3, and, if desired, theends 4 and 5. The latter may, if desired, be dispensed with. The box ortrough is open at the side and top, so that the checks or slips may beeasily placed in the compartments formed between the vertical andslightly-inclined partitions 6. These partitions are preferably stampedfrom sheet metal and form lugs 7, extending through holes in the bottomand back 2 3 and clenched therein, so that soldering the box may bedispensed with. The partitions 6 are preferably inclined, so that thechecks will lie flat against them instead of dropping and becomingconfused in the bottoms of the compartments. In each compartment andbeneath the overhanging parti tions I provide a spring, clip, or clasp 7preferably formed of a loop of spring wire, having curls 8 at the lowerends, which ends are suitably secured in the bottom of the box. Theseclips spring forward against the top sides of the inclined partitionsand when released will hold any checks or slips firmly thereon, so thatthe same cannot be lost. The checks soheld by clips are removed by thebookkeepers and entered or posted upon the books and are then replacedin their proper compartments in the cabinets preparatory to being filedaway. To separate these checks from others which may be placed in thecabinet by the sorting-clerk, I provide each compartment with a movablepartition 8, having lugs 9 on its upper edge, which lugs hang upon theupper edges of the fixed partitions 6. To prevent the partitions fromfalling forward when there are a number of checks beneath them,

v ments rapidly.

'venient use by one person.

I preferably provide the lugs 9 with one or more notches 10 and arrangeto drop the lugs into notches 11 in the upper edges of the fixedpartitions 6, so that the movable partitions 8 are practically hinged orpivoted thereon. To prevent the checks from falling out between thefixed and removable partitions, I provide each movable partition 8 witha face-flange 12, which will conceal and hold the checks between the twopartitions. The pressure of the spring-clip '7 in each compartment actsagainst the fixed partition 6 and holds the checks fiat against thesame. It is desirable that the clips be so arranged that they may belooked back out of the way, so that checks maybe distributed to theseveral compart- For this purpose I provide the small springs 13 uponthe under sides of the permanent partitions 6 and which are adapted tohold the clips or clasps 7 when raised, as shown in Fig. 3. As a meansto draw back all of the clips or clasps 7 at once I arrange alongitudinal movable rod 14: in the lower part and back of the box ortrough and provide this rod with lugs 15 to engage the spring-clips 7.The outer end of the rod is provided with a handle or pull 16, which ispreferably made to fall into a recess 17, provided in the end of thebox. hen the rod is turnedinto position, (shown in Fig. 3,) the lugs 15may be moved upon either side of the spring-clips. Hence the clips maybe all thrown down at once by means of the rodthat is, they will beforced away from the retaining springs or latches 13.

Evidently a large number of these cabinets will be required in a largeinstitution where a great number of clerks are employed. It is notpractical to provide more than from ten to fifteen compartments in asingle cabinet, as the same would be too long for con- I therefore soarrange the box or troughs that one may be set upon the other and lockedthereto, so that a number of sections may be lifted together if it isdesired to move the same from place to place. For this purpose I providethe sections or boxes with the end flanges 19, having the L-slots 20 tobe engaged by pins 21 upon the other boxes. Each compartment is numberedand the numbers are preferably arranged upon the back of the boxes ortroughs, as shown in Fig. 1, and also upon the faceflanges of theremovable partitions. In addition I preferably provide a number-slide 23on each section or box, and these slides are preferably made removable,being held in sheet-metal guides 24, arranged upon the rear edge of thebox. These slides are made removable in order that a single cabinet may,if desired, be used with a number of slides which together bear thenumbers of all the clerks. In most stores, however, it is preferred toappropriate a compartment to each clerk. A

better construction of the slide is shown in Fig. 6, where it will beseen that it is arranged upon the back of the box beneath the upper edgethereof and the figures show through holes 25 near the upper edge of theback 3 of the box.

I have shown'the box or trough having an open top and an open side; butit will be obvious that the invention is not necessarily limited to thisconstruction of box as, if preferred, the side or the top may be closed,leaving only an open top or an open side. This would be an obviouschange that would be within my invention.

It is obvious that various modifications in detail construction of mycabinet would sug gest themselves to one skilled in the art, and Itherefore do not confine my invention to the particular constructionherein shown and described.

Havingthusdeseribed my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The combination, with a box, having an open side andtop, of suitable partitions provided therein forming compartments, clipsor clasps provided in said compartments, and a movable rod provided withlugs to engage said clips to operate the same simultaneously,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a box, having an open side and divided intocompartments by suitable partitions, of movable partitions supportedupon said first-mentioned partitions, and clips or clasps provided insaid compartments, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an open box, divided into compartments bysuitable upright fixed partitions, of movable partitions adjustablysupported upon said partitions, substantially as described.

4. The combination, witha box divided into compartments by uprightpartitions,ofspring clips or clasps provided in said compartments, alongitudinally-movable rod, having fingers, which in one position escapeengagement with said clips, and in the other position are adapted toengage the same and latches for said clips, whereby the same may belocked in a raised position, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a box divided into compartments by uprightpartitions, of movable partitions arranged within said compartments andhinged upon said upright partitions, and clips or clasps provided insaid compartments.

6. The combination, withabox dividedinto compartments by uprightpartitions, of movable partitions arranged in said compartments, clipsor clasps provided in said compartments to engage said movablepartitions, the notches 11 in the upper edge of said upright partitions,and the lugs 9 provided on said removable partitions, and having notches10, forthe purpose set forth.

WAQAWL 7. The combination, With a box, havin 3' an open side and top,and divided into compartments by upright partitions, of clips or claspsprovided in said compartments and movable partitions adj'nstablysupported upon the upper edges of said upright partitions, as and forthe purpose specified.

8. A sorting-cabinet, substantially rectangular in form having an openside and top,iixed partitions forming compartments Within said cabinet,movable partitions within said compartments and supported independentlyof the bottom of said cabinet, and spring clips or clasps also arrangedWithin said compartments, substantially as described.

9. A sortii'igcabiiiet, substantially rectangular in form having an openside and top, a series of inclined lixed partitions dividing theinterior of said cabinet into com partments,movable partitions supportedby said lixed partitions independently of the bottom or floor of saidcabinet, and clips or clasps also arranged within said compartments,substantially as described.

10. A sorting-cabinet having an open side and top, fixed partitionsdividing the interior of said cabinet into a series oil. compartments,movable partitions within said compartments and supported independentlyof the bottom of said cabinet, said movable partitions havingface-flanges adapted to conceal and hold the checks between said fixedand movable partitions, and clips or clasps provided in saidcompartments, substantially as described.

11. A sorting-cabinet having an open side and top, aseries of fixedmembers dividing the interior of said cabinet into compartments, movablemembers provided in said compartments and adapted to bear upon saidfixed members and clips or clasps provided in said compartments.

12. A sorting-cabinet having an open side and top, a series ofpartitions dividing the interior of said cabinet into compartments, andclamping or binding members provided in said compartments and supported,respectively, near the top and bottom of said cabinet and adapted tobear upon the said partitions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day ofAugust, A. l). .1897.

N ILS F. GARBO.

In presence of (J. G. HAWLEY, C. E. VAN DOREN.

